Charles Mungus Presents Charles Mingus

Candid may not have the same name brand recognition as, say Blue Note or Impulse! But during its brief existence (roughly 1960 to 1963), the label made its mark on the jazz and blues worlds—as a recent series of remastered reissues, including LPs by Abbey Lincoln, Max Roach, Lightnin’ Hopkins and Otis Spann, ably demonstrates. The cream of the crop is Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus, recorded in October 1960 and released the following year. It’s a thoroughly crackling affair, highlighting the composer at one of his many peaks and featuring an awesome lineup of musicians: Mingus’ trusted drummer Dannie Richmond, underrated trumpet player Ted Curson, and—best of all—the inimitable alto sax and bass clarinet stylings of Eric Dolphy.

Charles Mingus' debut for Columbia, Mingus Ah Um is a stunning summation of the bassist's talents and probably the best reference point for beginners. While there's also a strong case for The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady as his best work overall, it lacks Ah Um's immediate accessibility and brilliantly sculpted individual tunes. Mingus' compositions and arrangements were always extremely focused, assimilating individual spontaneity into a firm consistency of mood, and that approach reaches an ultra-tight zenith on Mingus Ah Um. The band includes longtime Mingus stalwarts already well versed in his music, like saxophonists John Handy, Shafi Hadi, and Booker Ervin; trombonists Jimmy Knepper and Willie Dennis; pianist Horace Parlan; and drummer Dannie Richmond…

This 2-CD set compiles all of the music recorded by the Charles Mingus Quintet with Max Roach as the guest star during a fruitful and extended evening in 1955. Most but not all of the material appeared on the LPs "Mingus at the Bohemia" (Debut Records DEB-123) and "The Charles Mingus Quintet Plus Max Roach" (Fantasy 6009), while the rest were issued on different compilations.

The complex music on this LP finds bassist Charles Mingus looking toward contemporary classical music in some of the rather cool-toned arrangements. It was not until later in 1955 that he found the right combination of influences in which to express himself best but these slightly earlier performances have their moments. Four of the selections feature tenor-saxophonist Teo Macero, pianist Wally Cirillo, drummer Kenny Clarke and Mingus in a quartet while the other five tracks showcase a sextet with Macero, George Barrow on tenor and baritone and clarinetistaltoist John La Porta.

On May 15, 1953, five of jazz's most influential musicians - Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Charles Mingus, Max Roach and Bud Powell - met at Massey Hall in Toronto for their first and only known recording as a quintet. Although only a small audience had the opportunity to experience this historic evening in person, it was captured on tape. The resulting album, The Quintet: Jazz at Massey Hall, became one of the genre's most important and acclaimed releases.

The complete long unavailable concert by Charles Mingus and Eric Dolphy at the Salle Wagram, in Paris, for the first time ever on a single collection. As a bonus, we have added the two complete sets by the Chico Hamilton Quintet with Dolphy at Newport '58, including an extended previously unissued version of "Pottsville U.S.A." on which Dolphy plays a long solo on alto sax.

The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady is one of the greatest achievements in orchestration by any composer in jazz history. Charles Mingus consciously designed the six-part ballet as his magnum opus, and – implied in his famous inclusion of liner notes by his psychologist – it's as much an examination of his own tortured psyche as it is a conceptual piece about love and struggle. It veers between so many emotions that it defies easy encapsulation; for that matter, it can be difficult just to assimilate in the first place. Yet the work soon reveals itself as a masterpiece of rich, multi-layered texture and swirling tonal colors, manipulated with a painter's attention to detail. There are a few stylistic reference points – Ellington, the contemporary avant-garde, several flamenco guitar breaks – but the totality is quite unlike what came before it. Mingus relies heavily on the timbral contrasts between expressively vocal-like muted brass, a rumbling mass of low voices (including tuba and baritone sax), and achingly lyrical upper woodwinds, highlighted by altoist Charlie Mariano.

In 1973 Atlantic Records began its second period of recording with Mingus, which resulted in seven studio albums. The story of a new phase in Mingus’ music – his last phase – begins with the recordings in this boxed set. Featuring all of his 1970s output for Atlantic Records, all configurations of the album include previously unreleased outtakes of “Big Alice,” “The Call” and “Music For Todo Modo.” There is also an extra set of takes of “Big Alice” and “The Call” on an Outtakes disc exclusive to the vinyl format.